Cortana can replace Google Now on Android

If you’re an Android user in the Microsoft Windows Insider program, you can now download a fresh beta of Cortana for Android that’s capable of replacing Google Now. That means, when you hold the home button and swipe up, the action that usually activates Google Now, you can access Cortana instead.

It’s probably not an option that will be used by Android enthusiasts, but folks running Windows 10 and who are using Cortana often might find it useful if they also carry an Android smartphone. After all, we found it a viable alternative in our Cortana for Android hands-on.

Cortana offers a lot of similar features, like the ability to inform you of traffic, the weather, sports scores, information on upcoming flights and more. She can’t be accessed through “Hey Cortana” on Android just yet, which is one drawback for folks like myself who frequently rely on the “OK Google” command.

Again, this is for Windows Insiders — anyone can sign up, but you won’t find the update in the Google Play Store just yet. It was first discovered by Microsoft-News, and you can read more from that unofficial news outlet below.